To Örebro University

In Sweden, about 35–40 percent of people who acquire a brain injury can return to work. To be able to help people with acquired brain injury to return to work, it is important to know about experiences and factors that facilitate return to work and how they affect quality of life. The overall aim of this thesis is to investigate the opportunities and barriers for people with acquired brain injury to return to work, as well as the importance of returning to work for their quality of life. Four studies were conducted: two interview studies and two register studies, giving qualitative and quantitative data.The major finding in this thesis was that people with acquired brain injury who could return to work had high functioning in all levels of the biopsychosocial model. The opportunities increased if the return to work was individually adapted in all phases of the process and if the person was motivated and supported by support persons with commitment, cooperation and adaptation. Those who had a university education, got their driver’s license reinstated, had high motor function and could return towork showed the greatest increase in their quality of life.Return to work is a complex process for people with acquired brain injury that could be successful if they are motivated, can balance the internal and external demands to return to work, get individual adaptation, and receive committed support. Their quality of life also increased more if theywere able to return to work.